Ringing in the New Year

 I always felt that New Year’s Eve was amateur night. Most years we stayed home putting puzzles together. It became a tradition.  In fact, we receive a 1000-piece puzzle from Santa each year. However, there are a plethora of ways to ring in the New Year. 

If you want to see how lucky you are in 2019 both Turning Stone and Del Lago casinos have a variety of New Year’s Eve activities and entertainment and, of course, offer packages that include accommodations.  I think it is best to stay off the highways on New Year’s so, if you have to celebrate away from home, then staying at a hotel is a

great option.  Most of the Syracuse hotels offer staycations packages for New Year’s Eve including the Crowne Plaza, the Genesee Grande, and the elegantly restored Hotel Syracuse.

There have been occasions when we have ventured out of the house and area to celebrate New Year’s.  One of my favorite events was the Mummer’s Parade in Philadelphia.  It caught us by

surprise because I had heard of the mummers and knew of their traditional string bands but what really amazed us were the Fancies in their elaborate float-like costumes. The Mummers have been doing the “Mummers Strut” down Broad Street in a parade that includes more than 10,000 men, women, and children in lavish, glittering costumes and can last eight hours! Besides the String Bands there are the Comics, Wench Brigades, Fancies, and Fancy Brigades. Watching the parade is free unless you want bleacher seats.

Before the parade we visited the Mummers Fest at the Pennsylvania Convention Center where there are many activities including watching the Fancy Brigades practice for their four-minute performance held after the parade. I was blown away by the performances which were like watching lavish four-minute Broadway-quality shows.  Of course, like most major cities, Philadelphia has other events such as the Macy’s Light Show and fireworks on the Delaware River waterfront.  I would love to go again.

Another family favorite on New Year’s was when we attended the Rose Bowl. The Rose Bowl floats are more spectacular in person because, on the TV, it is hard to appreciate the size of the floats. They were infinitely larger than I thought. However, it wasn’t the parade that was the best part; it was helping to build a float.  Each year, La Canada allows people to help build their float.  There is pre-registration but they also allow walk-ins if they need people.  Volunteers first watch a demonstration video and then go to their station to work – for a few hours or the day.  When our

family participated, John and I put the flowers in vials of water – a no-brainer job. It takes a lot of flowers to create a float.  There can be 18 million flowers on the Rose Bowl parade floats. For many the major event of New Year’s must include a football game and the Rose Bowl always hosts top-seed teams. There are other bowl games; last year our family went to the Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix. 

If you are looking for an iconic celebration head to Times Square in NYC and celebrate with about one million of your friends waiting for the crystal ball to drop. Another way to ring in the New Year is to take a cruise to a sunny place.  We often book our flights to Asia on New Year’s because they tend to be more reasonable. 

Thinking about Memorial Day

 Several places have called themselves the birthplace of Memorial

Day (sometimes called Decoration Day) but in 1966 President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo as the official birthplace. On May 5, 1866, there was a ceremony to honor local veterans who had fought in the Civil War.  It was a community wide event; businesses closed and residents flew the American flag. By the end of the 19th century Memorial Day ceremonies were held nationwide on May 30 and after WW I the day was expanded to include all those who died in American wars. In 1971 it was declared a national holiday by an act of Congress. 

Waterloo is home to the National Memorial Day Museum which has extensive exhibits detailing Memorial Day, its founding, and includes those who were instrumental in organizing the first event.  It is the perfect place to celebrate Memorial Day.  This year from Thursday, May 25 to Tuesday, May 30 there will be a variety of events including arts and craft vendors, a Civil War encampment with featured impersonators, a 5K Race, a car show, and military services in the village cemeteries. No Memorial Day event would be complete without a parade. The Waterloo parade will start at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 26. 

There are many ways to remember our veterans on Memorial Day. Did you ever notice that most towns and cities have Civil War soldier statues in their park or cemetery?  Look closely, they all look alike. It seem a few years after the Civil War a New England monument company created the statues and sold them to town and cities in both the North and South. It was years before people realized they all had identical statues.  At that time the monument company changed them so they better reflected the soldiers of the North and South.

Many Memorial Day celebrations include a reading of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. The 272-word speech is one of American’s most famous. Lincoln, even though he was the president was not the keynote speaker; the great orator, Edward Everett was.  During the speech a burial party was interring people nearby adding to the somber occasion. If you haven’t been to Gettysburg put it on your summer “to-do” list. If you visit during Memorial Day weekend there will be a parade at 2 p.m. that will end at the Soldiers’ National Cemetery where there will be a ceremony at 3 p.m. That weekend there will be historic walking tours and Living History attractions.

Not far away is the Eisenhower National Historic Site, home and farm of General and President Dwight D. Eisenhower.  It is adjacent to the Gettysburg Battlefield. When John and I visited we were impressed at how “middle class” the house seemed.  

Of course, the Mall in Washington is where veterans of all wars are immortalized. While the Vietnam War memorial gets the most attention I liked the Korean War memorial the best because it shows soldiers in action. 

Regardless of how you plan to spend the weekend there will be a parade nearby you can attend and, most likely, some ceremony in a local cemetery.  When visiting a cemetery take time to walk around and observe the monuments; they are history preserved in stone.  Many veterans have special plaques on their stones. You might notice that many died in 1918 during the Spanish Flu pandemic that killed an estimated 20 to 50 million worldwide including nearly 700,000 Americans. 

Take the family to Hershey, Pennsylvania

There is time for one more outing before the young ones start the new school year. Hershey is a great destination for the whole family.  The story of Hershey is fascinating.  Milton Hershey established a company town that had the workers in mind, not to milk them of their pay so they “owed their soul to the company store” but he created a model community that included housing, schools, church, and parks. Interestingly, fate took a hand in this.  He did not use the ticket he purchased on the Titanic.  Learn more about the man, the candy empire he founded, and the model town he created, and the Kiss through a variety of exhibits, artifacts, and more. 

Learn about the town on the Hershey Trolley. The journey begins in front of the Hershey’s Chocolate World.  Don’t be surprised if your conductor breaks into song and stops to pick up some “characters!” It is old-fashioned fun and an informative trip through the town built on chocolate for people of all ages.

Most people head to Hershey’s Chocolate World, the official

visitor’s center of The Hershey Company, to learn about chocolate making, take a Chocolate Making Tour Ride, and you may meet with Peppermint Patty or some other character. It is free but they have fun things that are not free: 4-D Mystery Theater, chocolate bar making, and chocolate tasting. 

For thrills and chills head to Hershey Park with all-out, non-stop family fun. It is called the “cleanest and greenest theme park in America” with more than 60 rides and attractions, including 10 exciting coasters, six drenching water rides, and more. Plus live entertainment, challenging games of skill, one-of-a-kind shops, and irresistible food. There are several water fun

activities plus Zoo America where visitors can walk through five regions of North America.  The Zoo can be included in the Hershey Park ticket but there is way too much to do in one day.

If rides, water, and critters are not what visitors have in mind then stop to smell the roses.  Hershey Gardens is a 23-acre botanical treasure on the rolling hillside not far from the Hotel Hershey. Hershey Gardens opened in 1937 and expanded to its current 23 acres by 1942. The tradition continues today with themed gardens, spectacular seasonal displays, beautiful rare trees, an amazing outdoor Butterfly House, 7,000 breathtaking roses, and much more! 

The Hotel Hershey Spa provides the ultimate in chocolate luxury: you can soak in a chocolate bath, get a chocolate scrub, followed by a chocolate wrap, and top it off with a chocolate martini or one of the hotel’s signature chocolate coffees.

John and I were most impressed with The Milton Hershey

School, another of Mr. Hershey's legacy. He and his wife opened the school in 1909 to care for orphan boys. Now it's open to boys and girls that come from a life of disadvantage. It is supported by Hershey Entertainment and Resorts and the Hershey Food Company.  The state of the art resident school is free and includes everything from clothing to medical care. Amazing.

There are plenty of places to stay in the area including Hershey Camping Resort. Hershey Lodge is family-friendly but if it is luxury you are looking for  then the historic Hershey Hotel is the place.  They often offer package that include admission to Hershey Park and other perks.  There are several non-Hershey owned accommodations nearby. 

Historic Cemeteries

Cemeteries might not seem like a likely place to visit as a tourist but they are. Some people visit cemeteries to pay homage to presidents, artist, poets and other influential individuals.  Others go to admire the art and architecture, while still others find the beautifully landscaped gardens a place to reflect.  



1. Arlington National Cemetery: The military cemetery located just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. It is the most visited cemetery in the United States.  It is the grave site of President John F. Kennedy.The Changing of the Guard at the tomb of the Unknown Soldiers has taken place every day without interruption since 1937. 

2. Gettysburg National Cemetery: This Pennsylvania site is the final resting place for more than 3,500 Union soldiers killed in the Battle of Gettysburg, considered the turning point in the Civil War. There are numerous monuments including one to President Abraham Lincoln where on November 19, 1863 Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address speech.
3. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, New Orleans: There are many

tours of this cemetery where, because of the high water table the deceased are interred in above-ground, whitewashed crypts topped with statues. It is a stop on the African-American Heritage Trail. Many noted individuals are interred here including New Orleans’ famous voodoo priestess Marie Laveau.

4. Colonial Park Cemetery: With live oaks draped in Spanish moss it is Savannah's oldest and most haunted cemetery. The Gen. Sherman’s soldiers changed the dates on dozens of headstones indicating that some of the interred lived 100s of year. According to Josiah Muir’s stone he was 11 when he died and his son died the same year at the age of 12.
5. Lakeview Cemetery: The Cleveland, Ohio cemetery is for Tiffany-lovers. It is home to the Wade Memorial

Chapel and boasts of one of the few interiors in the world that was entirely designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany and his studio. The chapel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

6. Forest Lawn Cemetery: Architecture lovers will enjoy Buffalo’s Forest Lawn Cemetery. It claims to be one of the world’s finest outdoor museums with monuments, sculptures and mausoleums designed by great sculptors and architects including Frank Lloyd Wright’s Blue Sky Mausoleum and Tiffany stained glass. 
7. Woodlawn Cemetery: The Woodlawn Cemetery in Bronx, N.Y. was one the earliest garden cemeteries in the United States. The curving road through the rolling hills passes by hundreds of mausoleums, many designed by noted architects. Irving Berlin and Herman Melville are just a few of the famous people interred there. 
8. Hollywood Forever Cemetery: Starry-eyed travelers should visit Hollywood Forever Cemetery, the final resting place of many of Hollywood’s greats. It is on the National Register of Historic Sites. Visit and pay your respects to Rudolph Valentino, Cecil B. DeMille, and many more legends of the screen.
9. Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Park: Some

cemeteries are under the auspices of a local government while others are military and a few are private family cemeteries such as the Johnson Family Cemetery which is now part of a national historic park. LBJ is buried in the same area where he was raised. 

10. Boothill Graveyard: Those interested in the Old West should head to Tombstone Arizona where about 250 people “died with their boots on.” Lester T. Moore who died in the 1880s has what is probably the most famous epitaph: “Here lies Lester Moore, four slugs from a 44, no Les no more.”

The War of 1812 Along the Great Lakes

In May 1814 about 700 British troops came ashore in Oswego and ended up destroying Fort
Ontario. It is hard to imagine the terror the residents felt. I love the book The Great Rope written by Rosemary Nesbitt. It is just one story about how local residents rose to the occasion and took part in the defense of their country during the War of 1812. The newly built ships in Sackets Harbor were in need of an anchor rope. By most accounts the Great Rope was nearly 600 feet long, seven inches thick and weighed almost 1000 pounds.  The rope made it from Oswego to Sackets Harbor via boat and then 20 miles by land on the shoulders of 100 men who ultimately bore permanent scars on their shoulders. On August 2, a new version of Nesbitt’s play based on her book will be performed at Fort Ontario.  

Books enhance travel. It is a way to learn the rest of the story. The area around the Great Lakes played a critical role during the War of 1812. A new book Waterways of War: The War of 1812, is “A Traveler’s Guide to the War of 1812 Forts, Battlefields, and Historic Sites…”.  The book is a great resource for planning trips. John and I have visited many of the sites but there are always more places to discover and favorite places to revisit. The book details 14 significant sites between Erie, Pennsylvania and Massena, New York associated with The Second War for Independence

At the Erie Maritime Museum the star attraction is the replica of the U.S. Niagara, Oliver Hazard
Perry’s ship that won the Battle of Lake Erie, also known as the Battle of Put-In Bay.  Also on display is a likeness of Perry’s battle flag “Don’t Give Up the Ship.”  The Sheraton Erie Bayfront Hotel, next to the museum, is a great place to stay.

During the war the area between Niagara Falls and Old Fort Niagara was heavily contested. The book, The Tuscarora Heroes, by Lee Simonson relates the brave actions of the Tuscarora men who aided the settlers against British forces. The book tells the harrowing story of Hepzipha Gillette who survived but not before seeing her seven-year-old son shot and scalped.  It is just one of the many personal stories experienced by people during the war.  At Old Fort Niagara the 15-star Old Glory is in a place of honor having been returned to American soil in 1994. It had been claimed as a trophy by the British in 1813.  The Barton Hill Hotel is midway between Niagara Falls and Old Fort Niagara making it a perfect place to stay.

One of the many events commemorating the war occurs each year at the Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site where land and sea battles are reenacted. Sackets Harbor is also home to the Seaway Trail Discovery Center with information on the war and other places along the Seaway Trail.

The St. Lawrence Valley was the gateway for invasion of Canada with an assault on Montreal planned. In retaliation for the American raid on British supplies the British successfully attacked Ogdensburg burned American boats frozen in the ice and made off with American military supplies.The Great Lake Seaway Trail follows the frontlines of the War of 1812 in the north with explanatory storyboards along the Trail.

Places to celebrate Flag Day

Did you know that a vexillogist is a flag maker? Vexillogy is the scientific study of the history and usage of flags. We learn in school that Betsy Ross designed the American flag.  But did she really?  My husband and I have visited the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia several times.  Legend has it that she made the first flag but there is no documented evidence that says she did which is always dilemma for historians. However, there are several factors that made it likely that Betsy did indeed create the first American flag. She was in the right place at the right time and knew the right people. A relative of her late husband was on the flag committee and on May 29, 1777, Betsy Ross was paid a large sum of money from the Pennsylvania State Navy Board for making flags. On June 14, 1777, Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as our official national flag. They do claim that Betsy Ross is the one who designed the five-pointed star that is on the flag basically because it was easier than making a six-pointed star. She could fold the cloth and cut it in one snip. Regardless, the Betsy Ross house is a fascinating place to visit if only to get a glimpse into life during Revolutionary times. Her house was built around 1740 and considered a variation of a "bandbox" style house, with one room on each floor and a winding staircase stretching from the cellar to the upper levels.

Another flag legend deals with Fort Stanwix where it is possible that it was the first place the "Stars and Stripes" flew in the face of the enemy, but several other sites claim the same thing.   The siege of Fort Stanwix began on August 2, 1777, and ended August 22 with colonist successfully holding off the British. Interestingly, the fort historians do not have a clear idea of the exact flag which flew over the fort during the British siege.  

Francis J. Bellamy, of Rome, NY, was an American socialist, minister, and author, best known for authoring the American Pledge of Allegiance. Bellamy worked at a magazine, “Youth’s Companion” and to solicit subscriptions flags were given as a bonus. They were supporters of the schoolhouse flag movement which was obviously successful because today every schoolroom has a flag. Then in 1892 as part of the 400^th anniversary of Columbus’ arrival in America the magazine called for a national Columbian Public School Celebration to coincide with the World’s Columbian Exposition. A flag salute held in schools all over America was part of the official program. The Pledge was published in the September 8, 1892, issue of the magazine, and the rest is history as they say.

One of America’s most iconic flags is the Star Spangled Banner made famous in the poem written during the War of 1812 by Francis Scott Key and later set to music. The Star-Spangled Banner that flew over Fort Sumter is on permanent exhibit at the Smithsonian in a new two-story display chamber that protects the flag while allowing an excellent view of the “broad stripes and bright stars.” The exhibition surrounding this chamber tells the dramatic story of the flag and traces its journey from the home of the maker of the flag, Mary Pickersgill, to the Smithsonian. 

Places for quilt lovers to visit

I am not a quilter but one does not have to make a quilt to appreciate all the work that goes into making one.  I have visited several quilt museums along with Gentle Arts which only deepened my appreciation for the art.

1.     Gentle Arts: Gentle Arts in New Orleans has 55 years of cumulative textile experience. The have worked with private collectors and the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Historic Trust.  They restore, repair and/or preserve all manner of textiles including quilts.

2.     Seaway Trail Quilt Competition and Exhibition: The Great Lakes Seaway Trail Quilt Show is held annually at the Seaway Trail Discovery Center in Sackets Harbor, NY. The 2013 Great Lakes Seaway Trail Beauty of the Byways theme quilt show will be held March 16-17 and March 23-24 with expanded venues in the village of Sackets Harbor. The international interest in the show last year prompted the addition of a second weekend and more venues to display the quilts in 2013.

3.     The New England Quilt Museum: Located in Lowell, MA, the New England Quilt Museum is the only museum in the northeast devoted solely to the preservation, promotion and celebration of this art form. They have great exhibits featuring the best antique and contemporary quilts.

4.     The Lancaster Quilt and Textile Museum: Located in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch County, the museum has one of the finest collections of Amish quilts. They represent the golden period of Amish quilting from the 1880s to the 1940s. Sadly it is open by reservation only.

5.     The Virginia Quilt Museum: Located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in the Historic Shenandoah Valley, the Virginia Quilt Museum is the official quilt museum of the Commonwealth by the Virginia. Among their prized quilts are the rare Civil War quilts.

6.     International Quilt Study Center & Museum: The center in Lincoln, Nebraska has the largest publicly held collection in the world. The 3500+ quilts date from the early 1700s to the present and represent more than 30 countries.  A tour is available with paid admission.

7.     The Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum: While in Golden, Colorado, stop by the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum includes bed coverings of the 1800’s to contemporary art pieces.  For the researcher and quilt enthusiast, their Sandra Dallas Library contains over 3000 volumes featuring out-of-print literature, technique resources, historic patterns and research documents.

8.     San Jose Quilt & Textile Museum: The California museum’s diversified collection is comprised of over 850 textiles, including historic and contemporary quilts, contemporary woven textile art forms and wearable art in its permanent collection. They celebrates the rich cultural diversity of the Bay Area with stories, crafts and folk traditions from around the world.

9.     The Visions Art Museum:  Located in San Diego, California, the museum presents art quilts, fiber, and textile exhibitions throughout the year at the NTC Promenade and in the arts and culture district of Liberty Station in San Diego, California. Artists from around the world are showcased in the state-of-the-art gallery built in 2007.

10.  La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum: The museum is located in the historic Gaches Mansion in La Conner, Washington. Their permanent collection includes quilts and textile from 1820 to present. They host a variety of events and quilt challenges throughout the year. While it is one of the newer quilt museums it has grown in size and stature.

Learn to make chocolate bars in Hershery

Hershey, Pennsylvania is aptly dubbed “The Sweetest Place on Earth.”  John and I stayed at the Hotel Hershey where each guest receives a chocolate bar during check-in and a couple of “kisses” during turn down service. I am not the chocolaholic in the family but while we were in Hershey John and I both received a Master’s Degree in Chocolate Tasting and have the diploma to prove it!  One of the many fun things to do at Chocolate World is their Tasting Adventure.  It is a multimedia presentation during which we learned to taste chocolate much like connoisseurs experience wine. There were five samples: milk chocolate, extra dark, Hershey’s Bliss, Artisan Chocolate, and a Hershey Kiss.  We first looked at the each chocolate, smelled it then we took a small bite savoring it after which we discussed the “flavor notes.” Each one was different in taste and composition. The Hershey Bliss is a premium chocolate made of 50% dark cocoa that takes 20 days to make and has a smooth taste.  At the end we received a diploma. 

Then it was off on a free riding tour that tells the story of the cocoa bean’s trip from the rainforest to Hershey - a free sample at the end. I loved the talking cows! Next was the 3D animation where characters seem to jump off the screen with other special effects that makes it fun for all ages. Oh, and there is more!  We made our own chocolate bar. It was fun watching the kids.  One little boy did not want to wear the hairnet and had a bit of a temper snit but finally gave in when he realized his own personalize chocolate bar was at the end of the line.  Not only did we design our own chocolate bar deciding on ingredients and toppings but also the wrapper.  The personalized bar came in a metal box suitable for gift-giving – if I had only known!

There were other things to see and do but I didn’t want to miss one of my favorite attractions – the trolley ride.  The driver and conductors dressed in period costumes are excellent entertainers.  The tour of Hershey is informative hitting all the high spots while weaving in an amusing story. We experienced the trolley tour during the Christmas season several years ago and this one was just as wonderful. Oh, and guess what?  We received a Hershey kiss at the end!

Before we left Hershey we stopped in town to explore the Hershey
Story. The Hershey Story explores the life of Milton S. Hershey, the man, his chocolate company, the town that bears his name, and his generous legacy. It is really an amazing story of “poor boy makes good” but then uses his money to enrich the lives of others. He started out making caramels which gave him his first million but it was chocolate that made him a fortune. Hershey was a company town but the people “didn’t owe their soul to the company store” as they did in many company towns.  The tree-lined community provided for all the needs of the residents – a bank, hotel, school, churches, parks, golf courses, a zoo and more. He made it possible for workers to buy their own homes. Oh, while at the museum we went to the Chocolate Lab where we made our own chocolate s’more candy bars.  Life is good in Hershey!

Hershey is a great destination for many reasons

Gardens like Hershey Gardens are wonderful places to visit.  They appeal to people for all sorts of reasons. I enjoy the overall view of gardens appreciating the mix of flowers, trees and lawns, while John usually seeks out trees, especially bonsai, and others are interested in the individual blooms of the flowers.  And, then there are others who feel the need for a few hours of serenity.  While I was sitting on a bench absorbing the expansive view of Hershey Gardens a lady sat next to me and shared her story.  She lived three hours away and had recently experienced a great loss in her life.  She took the day off from work to visit the garden which she said made her feel better.  Flowers and nature can do that.

Hershey Gardens is another lasting gift from Milton Hershey. The gardens first opened in 1937 as a rose garden.  On the first day 20,000 people came to see the gardens.  In 1938 the American Rose Society honored Mr. Hershey by naming a rose after him. The gardens were so popular that additional gardens were added.

I love all the Milton Hershey stories especially this one.  During a site review the land adjacent to the Rose Garden was deemed not suitable for farming so Mr. Hershey turned to Harry Erdman, his head gardener, and said, "All right, Erdman, go ahead, make a garden out of it.  We'll make an awful lot of other people happy."  When Erdman asked if Mr. Hershey wanted to see a plan or cost estimates Mr. Hershey replied, "No, go ahead.  If it gets too big, I'll stop you.  Make it look as good as the Rose Garden does, and everything will be all right."  Over the next few years 58,000 trees, shrubs, evergreens, perennials and annuals were added along with spring bulbs and later six theme gardens, a Butterfly House, and a hands-on Children’s Garden were added. There is a nominal fee to view the gardens but we stayed at the magnificent Hotel Hershey on the hill above the gardens and a complimentary ticket to the Gardens was included.

The Hotel Hershey is a wonderful destination unto itself offering excellent service and famed for its elegant, full-service spa with stain-glass windows, a cozy pecan paneled relaxation room with great views, and the Oasis is the perfect place for a healthy lunch while clad in a spa robe. Guests can also enjoy their fitness room and pools – one indoors and one outdoors.

Hershey is also a great golf destination with four unique and distinctive courses including a nine-hole course especially designed for the younger set but fun for all ages.

The best known un-chocolate attraction is Hershey Park with over 65 rides that include 11 coasters.  My roller coaster days are over but John and I took the monorail around the park that gave us a great overview plus there are less intimidating rides and free entertainment.  Connected to the amusement park area, but also with a separate entrance, is Zoo America. The 11-acre, walkabout zoo has more than 200 animals from five regions of North America. When we were there the staff was all atwitter with their newest arrival, an albino alligator. The rare genetically inherited condition produced a white alligator with pink eyes.  It is one of only 100 known to exist. Hershey is a great destination.